


Arya x Gendry ficlets

by madaboutasoiaf



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Romance, it is a real mixture, some are modern au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-17 03:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 3,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5851879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madaboutasoiaf/pseuds/madaboutasoiaf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of ficlets originally posted on tumblr</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The one with the pasta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: Arya and Gendry fighting over pasta with a Lady and the Tramp moment

“I want the skinny spaghetti,” Arya argued.

“I like the other kind. You don’t need skinny spaghetti, you’re skinny already.”

She scowled at him and rummaged in the cupboards. She pulled out two packets.

“It is either skinny spaghetti or lasagne noodles.”

Gendry made a face.

“Making lasagne is hard work.”

Arya grinned.

“It would be worth it.”

Gendry shrugged.

“It is up to you. I thought you wanted the spaghetti. That was what you said.”

Arya studied the packets, then put the lasagne noodles back.

“I do want spaghetti.”

He snorted at that. Arya chose to ignore him.

“Start chopping the tomatoes.”

Cooking was fun, especially when she did it with Gendry. Sometimes he pulled stupid faces but most of the time he helped and he understood her, just like Jon. She missed Jon less when she had Gendry.

“It’s hot,” she warned him when he dipped a spoon in while she was stirring the sauce.

“I can manage,” he said in a dry voice. “I do work with heat.”

He cursed when he tasted it and Arya laughed.

“I told you stupid.”

“It still tasted good,” he said defensively.

She gave him a little push. “Put the pasta on.”

It wasn’t long before it was ready. Her stomach growled at the smell and she was glad she chose the spaghetti. The lasagne wouldn’t have been ready for a long time. Gendry served it and she trotted after him as he carried the big dish to the table and set it down.

“Why didn’t you put it on separate plates?”

He smiled, mischief in his blue eyes.

“This is how they had it in Lady and the Tramp.”

Arya snorted this time.

“You don’t need to resort to that for me to kiss you. I’m going to get us plates.”

She turned but he caught her arm.

“Do I get the kiss first?”

Arya laughed again.

“Lady and the Tramp ate some of their spaghetti first.”

He let her go but he was smiling.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

She took a step forward, flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his because she wasn’t a lady and he wasn’t a tramp and Arya made her own rules.


	2. The one with them making pizza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: Arya x Gendry arguing about pineapple on pizza, or whether there is such a thing as too much cheese

Gendry screwed up his face.

“No pineapple.”

Arya bit her lip.

“But I like pineapple.”

He only got that stubborn look she knew too well.

“Fruit does not belong on pizza.”

“Tomato is a fruit,” she pointed out.

He grimaced and she grinned but she could see he wasn’t going to back down. 

“No fruit other than tomato.”

She thought about pointing out that olives were a fruit too but that didn’t really help because he hadn’t said he wanted olives. She decided to save that argument for later. It had worked on Robb, she didn’t see why it wouldn’t work on Gendry though Gendry was a bit more stubborn,

A lot more stubborn.

“That’s too much cheese!” she protested.

He paused with the giant handful hovering over the pizza base.

“There is no such thing as too much cheese.”

“Stupid,” she told him, pulling the tray safely closer to her. “It won’t cook properly if you put that much.”

She reached for the cheese and put a light sprinkle. Gendry laughed.

“That isn’t nearly enough.”

“It will be,” she promised. “It will be plenty when I add more after we put the toppings on.”

He gave her a doubtful look.

“I think you’re just pretending you know what you’re doing.”

She hit him for that. Her blow left pieces of cheese on his shirt.

“I do know what I’m doing,” she insisted.

He grinned at her and put his arm around her while she added everything she wanted, everything except the pineapple. He had tomato sauce on his fingers and she expected she had stains but she didn’t care much.

“You’ll eat it no matter what I do,” she said as she finished putting the bit of cheese on the top.

“You know me too well.”

“I’m having pineapple next time,” she warned him.

He took the pizza from her to put in the oven.

“That is an argument we’ll save until next time.”


	3. The one with the raven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: Bran tries to make Arya x Gendry happen via raven

Arya heard the fluttering of wings and tried to pretend to be asleep. It didn’t work.

“Arya,” the raven shrieked. “Arya, Arya, Arya.”

She sat up and tried to shoo it away.

“I’ve eaten birds,” she grumbled. “I could eat you too.”

It only landed just out of her reach and tilted its head.

“Gendry,” it cried.

She heard him start laughing and if he’d been closer she would have hit him.

“It isn’t funny stupid,” she told him.

“Yes it is,” he said in that familiar stubborn voice. “You shouldn’t have taught it the names.”

“I didn’t,” she protested.

“How else would it know?” he pointed out.

Arya didn’t answer. She had to be careful, if she told him he wouldn’t believe her and worse, he’d think her mad.

_The bird is my brother._

It _sounded_ mad. It was true though, she knew if even if she could not say how. What she did not know was why Bran insisted on disturbing her when she tried to sleep. He could talk to her at other times, better times.

“You’ll make him suspect,” she hissed at the raven.

“Gendry,” the bird squawked.

Arya glared at Gendry but he wasn’t paying attention. The raven had flown over to him now and was squawking at him. He jumped to his feet and she laughed.

“Are you afraid of it,” she teased.

He took a few steps closer to her and the bird went quiet. Gendry scowled in her direction.

“They have sharp beaks.”

“Maybe it wanted to give you a kiss,” she told him with a grin.

“Arya,” the bird shrieked again, flying at Gendry so that he took further steps toward her.

“I’ll kill it if I get my hands on my hammer,” he said darkly.

“Don’t,” she said, frightened that he might and worried what it might do to Bran.

He didn’t though, instead he joined her, settling down beside her with his cloak in hand. She shivered a little and he put the cloak around her shoulders. The raven was watching them, silent now and Arya felt a bit unsettled at being watched.

“Now _you’ll_ be cold,” she told Gendry.

He just shrugged.

“Kiss,” the raven cried suddenly.

Gendry laughed. “I told you not to teach it words.”

Arya knew her face was red. Her annoyance with Gendry was gone now and she glared at Bran, glared at the raven, suddenly knowing what he was doing.

“Stop it stupid.”

Gendry’s hand lingered on her shoulder after fastening the cloak, the feeling warm and familiar but he removed it when she spoke.

“I didn’t mean you,” she blurted. “I was talking to the raven.”

Gendry looked at her uncertainly, shaking his head before lying down as if to sleep beside her. Wings fluttered again and when the bird landed just a short distance away from her she could have sworn it shook its head too.

“Stupid,” it shrieked.

 _I am not_ , she thought indignantly. _It was your fault._

She knew better than to say anything this time. Instead she lay down again, pulling Gendry’s cloak around her. It was nice having him close, less lonely even if she’d never say it. She had liked his hand on her shoulder, liked it more than she should but that didn’t mean Bran was right, that didn’t mean he should say the things he said.

“Arya,” it cried out once more.

“I heard you,” she told it and she saw Gendry grin, even if he kept his eyes closed. “Go away now.”

She heard the raven take flight and felt relief that Bran listened to her this time.

_He’ll be back._

She couldn’t be mad about that.


	4. The one where I borrow from canon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: that guy across the hall is flirting with you

Jon was grinning at her and Arya cocked her head.

“What?”

He kept on grinning.

“That guy who lives across the hall is flirting with you.”

Arya flushed.

“He is not, don’t be stupid.”

Jon sighed.

“You just don’t see it little sister but it is true.”

He reached out to mess up her hair and Arya hit him before he could. She bit her lip.

“Gendry is a friend.”

Jon raised an eyebrow.

“A friend who admired you at that party. I saw that.”

She scowled at him. _He shouldn’t tease._  He did not seem to be though. He was quite insistent in a way that made her think he was actually serious. She thought a moment.

“He just said I smell nice.”

Jon was grinning again.

“I heard. He also said you look nice.”

Arya began to feel uncertain.

“I looked like an oak tree, he agreed.”

“A nice oak tree,” Jon reminded her knowingly.

She felt pleased at the memory but she didn’t want Jon to know that. She shook her head and headed for the door.

“He wasn’t flirting. I’ll prove it. I’m going to go ask him.”

As she pulled the door open and stepped through she distinctly heard Jon’s voice before she could close it.

“It’s about time.”


	5. I'm not perfect I'm just me

Arya hesitated when the looking glass was held out to her. They had insisted she bathe and then prodded her to wear a gown trimmed with lace but Arya knew what she would see in the glass. She took it anyway, looking at her reflection and repressing a frown.

“You look very pretty,” she heard the maid say from behind her.

All Arya could see was a long face and unkempt, dull hair. She felt it keenly now that she was near Sansa again. Her sister was the pretty one, the one everybody looked at. She set the looking glass down.

“You are kind to say so.”

She heard that more often now. It always startled her. It didn’t change anything though, she still wasn’t what a lady was supposed to be. She could not be what a lady was supposed to be so she stopped trying for the most part.

_You could be pretty if you tried._

Arya pushed the thought aside and darted out of the chambers, making her way to the hall. She smiled when she was expected to and listened and sat with her family, her pack. Bran smiled at her and she gave him a real smile. Her gaze drifted down, below the salt and she saw Gendry. Nobody protested at her leaving the dais, they were used to it by now.

“You don’t have to sit so far away you know,” she told Gendry.

He only got that stubborn look on his face. Arya took a seat with him. Joining the men on the benches was her favourite part of the day. They did not care about the gown or her hair. When Arya spoke they listened.

“Ned’s girl will look out for us smallfolk,” she heard from a nearby table. “She hears us like her father once did.”

It pleased her even though she tried to hide it and Gendry gave her a nudge.

“It’s true.”

He looked at the gown and got that expression, the one he had worn before. _He said I was pretty too._ Gendry went really red when he said it but he didn’t seem to be lying.

“It is what father would do,” she said.

That was what she remembered. Surrounded by laughter and smiles and people who looked to her, who needed her just the way she was and Gendry who _wanted_ her just the way she was made her feel warm inside. She smiled at him and took his hand under the table.

_They don’t need me to be a lady. They just need me to be me._

That was something she could do.


	6. The one involving wrestling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: "Boots, buckles, belts outside/what's you got in there you tryin' to hide?"

They were wrestling, just like they had countless times over the years when Gendry suddenly pulled away, his face burning red. He got to his feet and all but stumbled in his haste to get away from her, turning so she could not see his face. Arya regained her own footing and glared at his back.

“Why did you do that?”

“We shouldn’t be wrestling anyway,” he mumbled. “You’re a lady.”

Arya huffed. “Don’t be stupid, I already told you I don’t care about that. I was about to get away anyway.”

She darted up behind him but he remained stubbornly turned away from her. When she managed to duck under his arm he cursed and took several steps backwards.

“Arya go back and join the others.”

He was holding himself strangely, as though he wanted to hide something from her and he looked ashamed. Arya shook her head.

“I don’t want to.”

He groaned and her gaze dropped to the bulge in his breeches, just as he tried to turn away again

”Oh,” she said. “Is that why you’re being so stupid.”

Gendry saw her looking and went even redder.

“Leave it be,” he growled.

“Does it happen a lot?” she asked curiously.

His shoulders slumped and he took a couple of steps and leaned against the bench with a pained expression.

“You’re not going to stop talking about it are you?”

Arya bit her lip. She tried not to be looking at it again. He clearly did not want her to, he was trying to hide it again.

“I’m not a little girl,” she complained.

He sighed.

“I should have just let you get away.”

Arya grinned.

“You never _let_ me and you didn’t answer.”

“No,” he said abruptly.

He seemed miserable and Arya hesitated before joining him at the bench and hitting him in the arm.

“You don’t need to hide. I’ve seen worse before.”

Gendry gave her a queer look.

“I suppose that is true with this lot we travel with.”

Arya nodded. “It is.”

He seemed to relax at that but Arya could not help wondering if she was the cause and the very thought was enough to make her flush and her pulse quicken, not that she’d ever tell _him_ that.


	7. Who do you need? Who do you love? When you come undone

Arya had survived a lot. She wasn’t a little girl any more, she wasn’t. She shouldn’t cry, that was stupid but this was her mother, _used_ to be her mother and seeing her, losing her again, having to give her the gift, to give her mercy, it was too much and the tears streamed hot down her cheeks as she stumbled away, trying to escape but it did not matter how far she went she could not forget, she could not unsee.

She ran into something solid. Strong arms circled her waist and Arya’s fists pounded weakly against his chest. _Stupid_ Gendry, she was mad at him. She thought she was still mad at him but he was too stubborn to let her be mad. He was too stubborn to let her go.

“Arya I’ve got you.”

“I don’t need you,” she sobbed.

She was wrong though. He held her and it was all that stopped her from dropping because her legs wouldn’t hold her up any more so she clung to him.

“Don’t leave,” she told him.

_Don’t leave like you did last time._

“I won’t,” he murmured into her hair. “I won’t ever leave you again.”

He was warm and strong and _there_ , just like he had been when they were with the Night’s Watch recruits and at Harrenhal and after and Arya needed him, she wanted him and she didn’t care what protests anybody made when she finally felt strong enough, when Gendry helped her feel strong enough to stand on her own and she took his hand and led him wordlessly to her tent.


	8. Bird watching

“That bird is looking at us.”

Gendry was watching the raven again. Arya didn’t look. She spent enough time watching it earlier when nobody could see.

“It is a maester’s raven. It is just used to people.”

Gendry screwed up his face. “There is something queer about it. I heard it say your name.”

“It did not,” Arya said quickly.

“It did too,” Gendry answered stubbornly.

Arya ignored him. Birds didn’t talk no matter what Gendry thought he heard. Everybody knew that. That was only something which happened in her dreams and Arya wasn’t telling anybody about that, not yet, not even Gendry.


	9. Three sentence fic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: Accidentally hit you in the nuts

Gendry was chasing her again but Arya wouldn’t let him catch her, she was too quick for that. _Quick as a snake_ , she thought as she darted out of his reach but then he blocked her way out and even though he was slower he was bigger and he was stronger and he laughed as he grabbed her around the waist, tickling her as she struggled to free herself.

“Let me go,” she said, laughing and squirming but he didn’t until she kneed him between the legs and then his face contorted and his grip on her loosened and Arya wanted to say sorry, to say she didn’t mean to hurt him but he grinned through his grimace and she ducked past him instead, both of them laughing once more as he pursued her rather more slowly out of the forge.


	10. Remembering

She had been so angry. That was what Gendry remembered most. He had been angry too. They had that in common even if they differed in so many other ways, important ways even if Arya wouldn’t have it.

He hung onto his anger because it was easier, so much easier than letting himself remember Arya’s disappointment.

When Catelyn Stark rose, when she gave him a new outlet for his anger he took it, remembering the angry girl with grey eyes who desperately wanted her father brought back and he took some small solace in the thought that he had carved a place for himself.

And part of him wondered, when he let himself wonder, whether this might be what the angry girl he knew wanted. Her family, her mother if not her father.

And so he closed his eyes to Mother Merciless because he had no family and this woman birthed Arya and for that he could look past so many things.


End file.
